Us who screw up
by Empty Pen09
Summary: After watching them fight Detectives Korsak and Frost give Jane Rizzoli time tested advice on how to turn things around with Dr. Isles.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey peeps! Just some quick fun to get myself back into the groove of writing and uploading. I'm currently working on something new that should be posted soon so if you're a fan of my Rachel/Quinn stories keep your eyes peeled I'll have a new story uploading really soon, just working out the mental cobwebs. This is a Rizziles fic, a one shot I wrote and uploaded to get my brain working again. I think it's sort of fun and cute and hopefully keeping in line with TV Canon. Mostly. Like the show so much of what goes on is open to interpretation and I'm a huge fan of leaving things open to audience interpretation so enjoy.**

Detective Jane Rizzoli refused to believe that she couldn't turn things around. It had only been a few days since she'd last spoken to Dr. Maura Isles and she was sure the woman couldn't possibly stay angry at her forever. Since they'd met this was the longest they'd ever gone without speaking to each other. Eight days fourteen hours and twenty seven minutes. That's how long it had been since she'd seen her best friend.

Maura had always been easy going. She was bubbly and happy, chipper and friendly. That had all changed eight days ago. Eight days ago the woman had looked at Jane with what she would later admit was hatred. In those few minutes after Jane had shot Maura's father, Paddy Doyle, Maura hated her.

The look was like being stabbed in the heart. A flaming spear piercing her aorta and nicking her spine paralyzing her with fear and hurt. The look was pure emotional trauma. Nobody had ever looked at her that way before. A mixture of hurt anger and pain. She'd arrested thousands of convicts over the years and had been called every bad name in the book, none of them came remotely close to hurting her feelings. Nothing had touched her until the day she'd shot Paddy Doyle. The day she shot Paddy Doyle Maura had broken through her brick wall and stomped on her heart. It wasn't the words that hurt. It was the look in her eyes that hurt her feelings, broke her heart.

The second Jane stepped off the elevator leading to the homicide unit she spotted Maura speaking with Korsak and Frost. She looked terrific, she was wearing a tight fitted green dress and a pair of shoes that Jane was sure cost more than she'd collected on her last paycheck. She looked like Maura, she was even smiling.

"Hey Maura." Jane tossed out like a softball.

Maura glared in her direction but didn't answer. Her smile was gone that quickly, replaced by the glare. Jane was used to the glare. She'd perfected her ability to ignore it these past few days while she worked up the courage to try and smooth things over. It still stung a bit but she decided today was the day Maura was going to forgive her. Today was D-Day.

"Are you going to stay mad at me forever? If you aren't could you let me know exactly how much groveling I have to do to make it up to you already. I don't like fighting with you."

Maura rolled her eyes. "Sergeant Korsak could you please tell Detective Rizzoli that I have nothing to say to her."

Jane watched Korsak's eyes shift to the floor. "Oh boy." He muttered to himself.

"Korsak can you tell Dr. Isles that I was doing my job. Tell her I'm sorry about Agent Dean, but that I was just doing my job." Jane said forcefully, clearly Maura was being totally unreasonable.

"Korsak can you ask Detective Rizzoli what Agent Dean was doing there in the first place."

Korsak gave Jane a look that revealed he was siding with Maura on this one. He was siding with her but as her former partner he wouldn't admit it out loud. He couldn't force himself to side against her in public, but his glance spoke volumes. Jane however wasn't ready to admit defeat.

"He was worried about me. He cares." She shrugged. "What was I supposed to do?"

Over Maura's shoulders Jane saw Korsak and Frost giving each other pained expressions. She could tell by the looks on their faces she had done something wrong. Still she couldn't imagine what it could be, she was only telling the truth.

"HE cares," Maura asked. She was practically screaming and Jane knew she'd made a mistake, Maura never yelled. "He cares!" She slammed her hands on her hips, another bad sign. "When you had Hoyt nightmares every night for a month, it was MY shoulder you cried on. Not his. It was these arms that held you while you slept. Where was he?"

Korsak and Frost were doing their best to blend into the brick wall and Jane finally realized her mistake. Dean may care but Maura cared AND she had been there. She had always been there.

"Maura I'm." Jane started to say before Maura cut her off.

"No, no don't explain. I get it. I get it that when you were bleeding out in front of the police station it was these hands that fought to keep you alive. It was MY tears that stained your cheeks. Where was he?"

Jane knew that this was bad, this wasn't working out well at all. "Maura maybe I misspoke."

"No, you didn't misspeak, you were right. He cares. Yet when you were lying in that hospital bed, fighting for your life who was there for you? Did he come to the hospital everyday to sit with you? Did he take a leave of absence from a job that he loves to take care of you? No, I did those things. Don't ever talk to me about how much HE cares about you. He cares so much that when you asked him not to come to the meeting he came anyway. Not only did he put himself and his goals over you, but YOU put him before me."

Jane felt the air in the room change and just like that she knew today wasn't D-Day. Today wasn't the day that they were going to make up. She'd blown it. Again.

"Maura I'm sorry about Paddy Doyle." Jane finally said. It was the first time in the history of her career as a police officer that she'd apologized for doing her job.

"It's not about Paddy Doyle Jane, it's about you not putting me first. You've never put me first."

"Maura." Jane began.

"Jane, don't. Don't start this. You don't want to have this conversation here, believe me."

Jane reached out and grabbed Maura's forearm but Maura snatched it away. The act was like being doused with a bucket of cold water. Frigid, unforgiving and painful. Maura glared at her one last time and walked past the bank of elevators to the stairway. Jane watched her disappear behind the heavy metal door and finally let herself mourn.

"Damnit." She cursed loudly.

Korsak and Frost were still standing by the elevators watching the whole spectacle. Needing to vent she went into attack mode.

"You guys get an eyeful?" She knew they weren't trying to be nosy, they were here first, she'd butted in and caused the scene. Still she needed to vent her anger at somebody and Vince and Frost were available.

Korsak simply shook his head. Frost dug his hands deep into his pants pockets. Both looked like they wanted to say something encouraging but neither spoke, they simply stared.

"What?" Jane asked, her heart still heavy from fighting with Maura again, and losing, again.

Korsak finally spoke up, his voice soft and gentle. Nothing like what she expected since she was taking her frustrations out on him.

"Jane I'm going to tell you something that you've never been told before. It's something every good father passes down to his son." Korsak looked over to Frost and the young detective simply shook his head pitifully. Korsak's eyes shifted back to her and Jane knew despite her yelling and cursing these two men were on her side. They had her back, always.

"Okay," she relented. "What is it?"

"Never tell a woman who's had your back how much somebody ELSE cares about you. Dr. Isles has never thrown you to the wolves, not once. Now Agent Dean is a good guy."

"Great guy." Frost chimed in.

"But he threw you under the bus on this. Not only did he compromise your situation with Dr. Isles but he got himself shot and he made you shoot the doc's father. All because he didn't keep his word."

Jane began to shake her head. "He was just doing his job."

Frost sighed. "None of that matters to Dr. Isles. Would it matter to you if it was your old man? It wouldn't matter to me if he shot my father. And I can barely stand my father. Professionally yeah he made the right call, but personally he betrayed you. And he made a conscious decision to do so."

Jane shook her head. "He didn't betray me."

Korsak nodded. "He basically lied to you. But the doc doesn't care about him. She's mad at YOU. You betrayed HER confidence. You sold her out to a guy who hasn't been there for you 5% of the time she has. You did that then you defended him to her. Threw it right in her face that Dean cares about you and blah, blah, blah."

"Put it this way Jane. When you have a problem who do you call? Agent Dean or Dr. Isles." Frost asked.

Jane shoved her hands in her pocket and squeezed her eyes closed. "I did betray her didn't I?"

Korsak and Frost both nodded.

"So how do I fix it? What do I say?" She said opening her eyes to her hard reality.

Korsak finally let a smile creep across his face. "Well seeing as how you know absolutely nothing about women, I'm going to let you in on a little secret Jane. A secret every father tells his son, the key to dealing with an angry woman."

Jane wanted to roll her eyes but knew better than to bite the hand that fed her. "What is it?"

"You say I'm sorry." Korsak said with confidence.

Jane did roll her eyes this time.

"That's it. I'm sorry." She sighed. "I said that and she walked away."

Frost shook his head. "That's not what you said. You talked about Dean."

Korsak nodded. "Don't ever talk about Dean. Not even when she brings him up."

Frost cut in. "Don't lie about him. Never lie about him. Just don't talk about him."

"Right. Answer all her questions about him, but don't talk about him." Korsak said.

"Ever." Frost added.

Jane's head was starting to spin. "So Dean's off limits?"

Korsak and Frost nodded. "Yes." They said in unison.

"For how long?" Jane asked.

"Until Judgment day." Frost said without cracking even a hint of a smile. He was serious.

"Don't ever mention his name to her again. It'll be like fingers on a chalk board if you do." Korsak looked over at Frost with an arched eyebrow. "One or two?"

Frost shrugged. "I only do one, unless I really screw up then I do two."

Korsak nodded. "You should probably buy her some flowers. Two dozen roses. You screwed the pooch on this."

"Roses! I'm not buying her flowers Korsak." Jane said. She almost sounded offended. Almost.

"Why not?" Korsak asked. "It's what we do when we screw up."

Jane's voice softened just a tad but her hard edge was still noticeable. "We who?"

Korsak gave Frost a look but Frost was staring in the other direction purposely avoiding eye contact. She knew there was something they weren't saying.

"What?" She asked.

"Just get her the roses. She's just going to toss them in the trash but buy them anyway. It'll soften her up. Then once you know she's got them go down and say you're sorry. Tell her that from now on, from this day forward she comes first."

"Tell her that for as long as you two remain." Frost cleared his throat nervously. "Um, friends, that nobody will ever come before her again. Beg for a second chance."

Jane shook her head. "I have to beg now."

Korsak nodded. "It's what we do."

"WHO!" Jane asked again.

Frost cut in. "Us who screw up."

Korsak stifled a laugh. "Yeah, us who screw up. Now go do what we say. Buy her the flowers then go apologize."

"Don't forget the magazine." Frost added.

"What magazine?" Jane asked confused again. She'd missed the part about the magazine. "What's the magazine for?"

"For you to read. You sit down there with her and read the magazine until she tells you to go away. She'll tell you right away today but tomorrow she'll let you stew for a while. She'll ignore you but she won't tell you to leave right away either. You keep doing this and after a few days she'll pick a fight with you and you apologize again."

Jane didn't think any of this made any sense but she didn't have a better plan. "Then what?"

"Then that's it. She'll tell you what she wants you to do and you do it." Frost said. "But whatever she asks you to do you have to do it without screwing it up."

"Just like that?" Jane asked.

Korsak nodded. "It's not easy, trust me."

"Maybe I should just give her a little space." Jane suggested. Maybe a little distance would help.

Frost and Korsak rolled their eyes. "Jane, us who screw up have perfected this plan over hundreds of years. Just go with the program huh? Distance is your enemy, trust me. That's why you sit down there with the magazine everyday until she sends you away. The last thing you need is some opportunist reminding her how big of a bonehead you are while you're giving her some space."

Frost nodded. "It'll happen, it's like sharks with blood in the water. Trust us, just buy the roses Jane. And the magazine."

"And don't mention Dean. Ever." Korsak added.

Jane nodded. "Fine. Frost, Vince thanks for the advice. I'm going to go take care of it now." She head off towards the elevator. "This better work."

"Hundreds of years Jane." Korsak said.

"Fine. Thanks again fellas." The elevator dinged and Jane stepped inside. "Us who screw up." She said mockingly to herself but loud enough so the guys could hear.

"You'll thank us. Once you and Dr. Isles make up you owe us a six pack each. It's in the Guy Code." Frost yelled out to her.

"Deal," Jane said as the doors began to close. "Wait, Guy Code? You guys don't think we're…"


	2. Chapter 2

**I've written a few stories on this on site. Some of them I'm really proud of, all I considered finished when I was done uploading. With those I never felt the need to add, they seemed to tell the story I wanted told as is. This one however didn't feel finished to me and the reviews I was getting let me know there was interest in having it continue for another chapter or two. So as a little gift to you great reviewers here's another chapter. I can see how it needed to be expanded a little bit, it was kind of a crappy thing to do to leave it open ended like that because you have no idea if the boys advice is going to work and I gave no indication in the story if Maura would be forgiving. SOOO, here you go...**

The second Jane Rizzoli stepped into Maura Isles Morgue room she realized Detectives Korsak and Frost were correct. Her partners, current and past, had insisted she come down and make a personal plea. Apologize they said, beg if need be. She'd initially scoffed at the suggestion. Apologize for what, she wondered, for being a cop? The guys insisted she swallow her pride, head down to the morgue and make herself comfortable. She'd balked at this too, it seemed silly to simply go downstairs and sit around. Yet she knew the resistance was simply her pride getting in the way. The problem with her pride was that it often got in the way of common sense. She knew she made the right decision coming down when she stepped into the room. Maura's autopsy room wasn't empty. She wasn't alone.

Jane hated begging, nobody should have to grovel. Especially not for simply doing their job. She knew she had screwed things up with Maura but she figured she should be shown some slack. She deserved a little bit of slack, she'd earned it hadn't she. She hadn't done any of this intentionally after all, it was a tragic mistake. Most of it had been Dean's fault. If she could just get Maura to see that they could put all of this behind them.

But no. Korsak and Frost said Dean was off limits. She shouldn't talk to Maura about him at all anymore. The only time she should talk about him was if Maura asked questions and then she was supposed to keep it quick and vague. The boys were very specific that Dean should not be a topic of conversation. That seemed reasonable seeing as how a lot of this was his fault.

All this ran through Jane's mind when she stepped into the Morgue with a copy of Sports Illustrated tucked under her arm. Up until she saw Maura's guest she hadn't understood why it was necessary to sit down here subjecting herself to more of Maura's abuse. It reminded her of those religious orders who abused their bodies to prove their loyalty to God. It made sense in an abstract way, but the whole thing seemed a bit too over the top. She couldn't envision how sitting down here was helping the situation in any way. She'd mocked the idea in her head a half a dozen times but the second she stepped into the cold metallic room her heart dropped.

Maura was standing at her autopsy table in her white lab coat and smock. A pair of oversized goggles covered a third of her face and she was elbow deep in human organs. She looked so, Maura. A tall lanky brunette with short hair and blue jeans was in the room with her.

Jane was familiar with Detective Kate Kincaid. Kincaid was a cop from Robbery that was knocking at the door to a spot in homicide. She was a good cop, smart, respected, and from what Jane had heard about her she could handle herself on the street. She reminded Jane of herself. People who didn't know her, cops from other houses mostly, often got the two of them confused on first glance.

None of that mattered right now however because she was in Maura's morgue room. Sitting on Jane's stool. Kincaid's eyes were locked on Maura and neither of them had seemed to notice she'd come into the room. Kincaid was an attractive woman. Tall and toned with an air of confidence that even Jane couldn't deny was commanding of respect. Today her intense green eyes were locked onto Maura.

"Whatever you need to do is okay Dr. Isles. I know it's tough right now but it's important for you to know you have friends. You're not alone. You have a friend in me. If you need to we can go out and have a few drinks, talk about it, not talk about it, whatever you want. Whatever you need."

Jane's stomach almost dropped. She felt like she was going to lose her lunch. The boys had warned her about this. They'd told her this would happen. When she suggested she give Maura some space they told her it would be a big mistake. They warned her the second she stepped away some opportunist would step in and try and replace her. Sharks with blood in the water Frost had said. Turns out they were right, Kincaid was here offering Maura invitations.

"Um, excuse me ladies." Jane said doing her best to sound somewhat formal. Her first instinct was to grab Kincaid by the hair, drag her into the hallway and beat the crap out of her. That, she knew, would be inappropriate.

Kincaid nearly jumped out of her skin. If Jane wasn't so pissed off she would have laughed. She was caught red handed and her face showed it. Her shoulders sagged, her eyes went to the floor and she clammed up immediately. Her confidence disappeared almost instantly. Good, the woman did have some shame. Vulture.

Jane didn't cut her any slack. She walked over to her spot on the stool and invaded the woman's personal space. How dare her come down here and try and replace her. And already, it had only been a week and she was down here trying to be Maura's new best friend. The nerve of her. Not to mention she was sitting on Jane's stool.

"Hey Kincaid, how's doin?" She asked, doing her best to throw the woman off her game by being both polite and invasive. Kincaid was leaning away from her and Jane knew she was making her uncomfortable.

"Rizzoli, hey. I was just chatting with the doc here." Kincaid said, her voice shaky.

"I can see that." Jane glanced over at Maura and saw that Maura was purposely ignoring her again. She turned her attention back to Kincaid and leaned in closer to the woman. Finally Kincaid pulled herself off the stool and cleared her throat. "Oh, hey I think Korsak and Frost were looking for you," Jane added.

Kincaid's brow arched with interest. "Really?"

"Yeah, they're looking for the blood work on the Shark case."

Kincaid shook her head clearly not familiar with the case. "I didn't work that one. I better go track them down and see if I can make myself useful." She looked up at Maura still nervous but not willing to back off. Her confidence suddenly back in full swing. "Doc remember what I said, if you need to chat I'm around."

Maura looked up at Kincaid with a smile. "Thank you detective."

"Rizzoli." Kincaid said as she walked out of the room.

Jane watched her leave the room then shifted her attention back to Maura. "If you need to chat I'm around. Gimmie a break. As if." She mocked.

Maura huffed heavily, still digging through the open body on her autopsy table. "What difference does it make to you who I'm friends with Jane? I thought you had Agent Dean now. He's all you need isn't he?"

Jane cursed mentally knowing she was never going to live that down. "Maura I'm sorry." Okay, what did the boys say? Forget about Agent Dean. Don't mention him. There had to be something to Korsak and Frost's advice. They were right about somebody making a move to be Maura's new best friend. They had to be right about the rest of it too. She was going to follow their advice to the letter.

"You don't owe me an apology. You were just doing your job weren't you?" Maura asked. Her tone was soft, gentle. She sounded okay but Jane knew she couldn't possibly be. This had to be a trick of some kind. A trap to get her to keep defending herself. No, she wasn't going to fall for it. Korsak and Frost said she should beg.

"Maura I know I screwed up. I don't have any excuse that is going to justify my actions. I want you to know that I get it. I understand what I did to you. What I did to us, what we had. I'm sorry. From the bottom of my heart I'm sorry. You have no reason to forgive me. None whatsoever but I'm on my knees."

Maura turned to look at her and Jane got down on her knees. Maura simply rolled her eyes. "Goodness Jane get up, this floor is covered in bacteria."

"I don't care. I'm sorry. I want you to know that from this moment on, from this second until the end of time I promise nobody and nothing will ever come before you. I will not put anybody first but you. Nobody will ever come between us again, I promise. I know I screwed up but just give me another chance. Just one more chance to prove myself and I swear you won't regret it."

Maura continued to glare at her and Jane was sure she was going to tell her to get lost. Instead she shook her head. "Get off the floor Jane." The tone had shifted. Jane knew Maura's angry voice, she'd gotten familiar with it these past few days, and this wasn't it. She was softening up.

Jane pulled herself off the floor ignoring the dust on her black pants. Now the magazine. Sit down and read the magazine. She walked over to her stool and took her seat. She unfolded the magazine in front of her and started to flip through the pages.

"Jane what are you doing?" Maura asked.

"I'm groveling."

Maura shook her head with frustration. Mock frustration, Jane could see it.

"Jane I think you should go back to work." Maura said.

Frost and Korsak said this would happen. She'd ask her to leave right away. Not exactly sure of her next move she stood up and decided she should simply do as she was told. Maura hadn't forgiven her but she was softening. There was hope.

"Okay Maura, I'll go." Jane took a few steps towards the door and as she did so happened by the trash can. The two dozen roses she'd sent Maura earlier today were in the trash. They said that would happen too. "But I'll be back tomorrow. And the next day, and the next day until you forgive me."

Maura glanced at her as she lingered in the doorway. The large goggles she was wearing made her eyes appear huge. "Just get back to work before you get in trouble."

"Okay. And I'm sorry again Maura, really."

"Is Agent Dean going to be okay? When's he leaving town?"

Damn, Dean again. Jane steeled her nerves. "I couldn't care less if he's staying or leaving. I know he's going to live, that's as far as my concern goes."

"I'll see you tomorrow Detective Rizzoli." Maura said shifting her attention back to her body.

Detective Rizzoli? What the hell did that mean? "Goodbye Doctor Isles."

Maura snickered to herself. "Thank you for the roses by the way. They were very beautiful."

Jane wanted to ask her if she thought they were so beautiful why she tossed them in the trash. It was a fair question, an honest question. The sort of question any normal person would want the answer to. Yet Jane knew better. Not knowing what to say she simply said 'you're welcome' and left the room. Today was a turning point. From what she'd been told the hard part was yet to come but she'd made in roads today. That would have to do for now.

Jane found Korsak and Frost sitting at their desks in the squad room when she head back upstairs to catch up on paperwork. The moment she stepped into the room they looked at her with smiles.

"Blood work on the shark case?" Frost asked.

Jane shrugged. "I had to get rid of her. She was down there with Maura offering to talk."

Korsak shook his head with what Jane knew to be his disgusted face. "Talkers. They're the worst. They're the types who pretend to be interested in her emotional well being. While they're really just trying to cozy up next to her and cut you out of the picture."

Frost cut in. "Meanwhile you're sitting at home listening to old mix tapes you made for her."

"Mix Tapes?" Jane asked. "You used to give girls mix tapes? What decade did you grow up in again?"

Korsak laughed but Frost ignored them both. "What did she say? Dr. Isles I mean." Frost asked.

"I begged. I got down on my knees and said I was sorry. She told me I should go back to work."

They looked at one another and shrugged. "Well we expected that. Just keep at it. Go back tomorrow."

"She did tell me that the flowers were beautiful." Jane added.

Jane saw Korsak smile. "You're kidding?"

"No, she tossed them in the trash but she did say thank you."

"Wait, she said thank you AND that they were beautiful?" Frost asked, he was smiling just as wide as Korsak now. "As long as you don't do anything else stupid you're golden Rizzoli."

Korsak nodded. "Smooth sailing from here, just do what we told you and when she gives you a task…"

Frost cut in. "And she will."

"…just make sure you get it done. Don't second guess it and don't deviate from the instructions in any way. It's a test." Korsak finished.

Frost laughed. "I once had a woman ask me to drive her to New York for a hot dog."

"From Boston?" Jane asked. "For a hot dog? And you did it? Are you out of your mind?"

Korsak laughed. "It sounds stupid I know but you're already in enough trouble if it gets to this point so you're not in any position to say no. Why they make us do this kind of stuff is a lesson for another day."

Jane laughed. "Fine. That's a deal, I want to hear more about this stuff. I want to know all the ways to fix things when I screw up." Jane began to shake her head. "I've got two brothers, I can't believe they got to learn this stuff and I didn't. Where the hell was I?"

Korsak looked at her with sympathetic eyes. "Remember your dad and the boys going on fishing trips? Drives to the park to play ball?"

"Damnit, I knew I was missing all the good stuff. Frankie Jr. doesn't even like fishing. And Tommy was too busy being a delinquent. I absolutely loved fishing. I knew they were going off to do the fun stuff. I just knew it."

Korsak shrugged. "Well if it's any consolation to you Jane how was he supposed to know that you'd need to know any of it. I'm sure if he had any inclination you'd have been right out there with them."

Jane's eyebrow arched. "Inclination of what?" She asked.

Korsak and Frost looked at one another with embarrassment. "Nothing, just that you were one of us."

"Yeah," Frost added diplomatically. "That you were one of us who screws up."

Jane stared at them and suddenly the mood shifted from one of playful chatter to one of nervous anticipation. Frost was suddenly at his desk typing away and Korsak was nose deep in a file. She decided to quit while she was ahead. The last thing she needed to do was tick these guys off, she'd save that until she'd patched things up with Maura.


	3. Chapter 3

The moment Jane stepped into Maura's autopsy room she knew the woman had softened. Not a lot, but a little. She saw Maura's face betray the slight twinge of joy when she stepped inside with her magazine tucked under her arm, ready to grovel. Maura smiled, just a twinge, but a smile non the less. It was enough to comfort Jane into the realization that thing were actually on the mend.

"Hello doctor." Jane said without hesitation.

"Detective." Maura said doing her best to sound cold, clearly an act.

"Did I mention how sorry I was for taking everything you do for me for granted? I was thinking about that first time you helped me with the nightmares. I fell asleep in your arms. I even woke up in your arms. I felt so happy, so at peace. Nobody has ever given me peace like that except for you. Thank you for that."

Maura stared, doing her best to fight back a smile. "You're welcome."

That was it. That was the extent of the conversation on the second day. Jane sat in the room with her for nearly forty minutes in total silence. She was watching Maura work out with one eye and reading Sports Illustrated with the other. Finally Maura sent her away, albeit gently. Don't you have to get back upstairs? It could have been a lot more harsh, a bit colder. Jane took this as another win.

The third day was even better. When she came into the room she planted herself on her stool and flipped through the pages of the same Sports Illustrated magazine she'd been reading all week. It was Maura who pulled it away from her.

"You've read this thing cover to cover. I've been begging you to read that article on Mustard Gas toxicity."

Jane wanted to cry. She hated Maura's stuffy medical articles. Every time she attempted to read one she walked away with a headache. Still it was good that she was making her suffer. This was good according to Korsak and Frost. Torture was great.

"I've been meaning to get to that." Jane lied effortlessly.

Maura smiled playfully. "Great. Well we can discuss it tonight."

"Tonight?" Jane asked. Was she forgiven already? Surely this article couldn't be her big test she wondered.

"Dinner. At my house. You bring the wine."

Wine. That sounded easy enough. "What kind of wine?" Jane asked.

Maura shrugged. "The kind I always drink."

Before Jane had a chance to ask her what kind THAT was, the door to the autopsy room opened. It was Detective Kinkaid. She came strolling in with her black pants and ponytail, her eyes on Maura.

"Kinkaid what's up?" Jane threw out like a stop sign. Shark.

Kinkaid looked genuinely surprised to see her. "Oh, hey Rizzoli. I didn't know you'd be down here."

Jane nodded a bit smugly. "Where else would I be?"

Maura either ignored the discomfort in the room or didn't actually notice it. "Nice to see you again Kate."

"Doc." Kinkaid shot a nervous look over at Jane but once again didn't back down. "I was wondering if you wanted to do something later."

Jane felt something in her stomach turn. Really, while she was sitting right here. Didn't she have any sort of decency? Boundaries detective ponytail.

"Actually we're having dinner tonight." Jane cut in not able to hide the edge of hostility in her voice.

Maura shot her a curious look but didn't speak.

"Oh." Kinkaid said. "I didn't realize you guys had mended fences."

"Consider them mended from here on out," Jane said a bit snidely.

"Sorry Detective Kinkaid. Jane and I did have other plans for tonight. I appreciate the offer though."

Kinkaid didn't linger. She said thank you then politely excused herself. "Oh, okay. Maybe another time." Was all she said on her way out the door.

"I didn't realize you guys had mended fences." Jane mocked.

"Now why do you insist on doing that? Kate is a perfectly nice woman yet here you come after a week of ignoring me, putting her down."

Uh, oh. Jane surmised this was the second fight she'd been warned about. What was she supposed to do about this? The boys hadn't warned her how to deal with this. This could go terribly wrong.

"You know what Maura, you're right. I'm being childish."

Maura however didn't let up. "You know you always do this. You mock everything. Even my feelings. You refuse to admit that anything is your doing." She pulled a bloody glove out of a body cavity and pointed a red finger at Jane. "You don't care how I feel."

Okay, don't defend yourself. The boys said that always makes it worse. Apologize.

"You're right Maura. Up until now I've always been really selfish about us. I want you to know that was the old Jane. I promised you before and I'll promise you until the end of time that nobody will come before you again. I'm sorry from the bottom of my heart for having taken you for granted. It won't happen again."

Maura stared at her and Jane could see the skepticism in her eyes. "So you've said."

"I said and I meant." Jane said again.

"What is your deal with her anyway? Why do dislike Detective Kincaid so much? You guys always seemed to have gotten along up until now."

Was this another trick? Okay be honest. "Because I know why she's down here Maura, and I don't want her to be down here."

Maura nodded. "If you want her gone tell me and she'll be gone."

"I can't tell you anything. I haven't earned the right, especially lately. But I at least want the chance to try. I at least want the chance to prove to you I've earned it and I would like to do that without Kate Kincaid breathing down my neck."

"Jane Kate and I are friends. Not friends like how we're friends, just regular friends." Maura said her voice softening.

"Yeah but she wants you guys to be friends like we're friends. Not just regular friends."

Maura seemed to contemplate this. "Do you think so?" She seemed totally caught off guard by the revelation.

Jane wanted to grab her by the shoulders and shake her. Instead she decided to take the non assault route. "I do think so."

"Okay, so your anger with her is territorial and not simply you being childish."

With anybody else Jane would have taken offense but with Maura she understood the woman didn't mean it that way. She was simply making an observation. It wasn't mean spirited.

"Right." Jane replied.

Maura nodded along. "I understand now. You were being protective."

"In an inappropriate way yes. Its not Kincaid's fault, she just sees what I have for the past few years. That you're someone special."

Maura went back to her dead body. "I just realized I have a ton of things to do tonight. Bass has a vet appointment, I have clothes at the dry cleaners that need to be picked up, and I really don't feel like going out tonight. I want a nice bubble bath. Rizzotto sounds delicious but there's just too much to do."

* * *

"So you're taking the rest of the day off to get set up right?" Korsak asked.

Jane shook her head. "Set up for what? She called it off."

Frost rolled his eyes. "Jane have you not been paying attention at all. Those were hints. She wants you to do that stuff for her. The bubble bath, take the dog to the vet."

"Turtle." Jane corrected.

"Turtle," Frost corrected himself. "The thing is you have to go home, take the turtle to the vet, pick up the dry cleaning and the wine, make the Rizzotto and have a bubble bath waiting."

Korsak was nodding. "Simple."

"Simple? How am I supposed to do all of that by the time she leaves work?" Jane asked.

Korsak scoffed. "Seriously Rizzoli. This is a softball."

"It's one of those tee ball games where the ball sits on the stick and all you have to do is swing the bat. This is nothing. This is her letting you off with a warning." Frost added.

"It's still a lot of stuff to get done."

Korsak looked at his watch. "It's one o'clock Jane. If you leave right now you can get it all done in plenty of time before the doc leaves at five. This is you getting off light. Now stop bitching and get to it."

"I don't even know what kind of wine I'm supposed to get. I have to go back downstairs to ask and once I do that I'll blow it." Jane surmised.

Korsak and Frost gave one another a look. "God Rizzoli you're like ten years behind where you should be, maybe even twenty. She asked you to get the wine because you're supposed to already know what kind it is. That's why she didn't tell you to go pick up a bottle of Ripple."

Frost gave Korsak and disturbed glare.

"Ripple? Who is she Fred Sanford?" Jane asked.

Korsak ignored her comment but Frost laughed lightly. "Listen you're supposed to know this Jane. I told you it's a test. It's all a test. A test to see if you mean what you've been saying. Have you been paying attention?"

"Apparently not." Jane mumbled.

"Listen Jane, you're a detective. This is what you do for a living. Figure it out." Frost suggested. "Where do you two go for dinner? Where does she buy her wine? It can't be that hard. I've seen you track down a murderer using a bubble gum wrapper. This should be a piece of cake."

"A little help would be nice." Jane plead.

Korsak and Frost both shook their heads. "This is rule number one Jane. Us who screw up, we clean up our own mess. Getting your buddies to help you is cheating."

"Cheating, really? So you guys really aren't going to help me?"

Korsak shook his head then started to speak in a fake Maura voice. "Oh this is wonderful Jane I can't believe you did all this."

"Frost and Korsak did most of it. I handled the turtle." Frost added doing Jane's voice.

"Doesn't have quite the same ring to it, does it?" Korsak asked.

"You guys suck." Jane said grabbing her phone and clipping it to her hip. "If anything important happens I'm turtle sitting and picking up laundry."

"Don't forget the wine and the bubble bath." Korsak added.

"And the Rizzotto. That's important, don't forget dinner." Frost said.

Jane took a few steps away then stopped and turned back. "If I go to the Restaurant to find out about the wine is it cheating to order the Rizzotto to go?"

Korsak nodded. "Absolutely not. Now you're thinking Rizzoli, now you're thinking."

"I think I got this thing licked guys." Jane proclaimed.

Frost laughed. "Don't get cocky. You're a novice. You're only getting through lesson one."

"How many lessons are there?" Jane asked.

"How many stars are in the sky Rizzoli? I'm a couple of marriages in and I'm still learning." Korsak said with a smirk.

* * *

Jane twiddled her thumbs while she waited for Maura to finish her bubble bath. When Maura stepped into her house and saw Jane waiting Jane knew she had been expecting her to be there. She didn't look to be the least bit surprised to find dinner waiting and a hot bath warming. The boys had been right. This had all been a test and if she had simply gone home to pout she'd have failed.

"That was really nice." Maura said stepping out of the bathroom. She was wearing a pair of pink satin pajamas when she emerged into the kitchen. Jane had kept her mouth shut while Maura came home from work and let the woman sneak off into her bath. Now things had to be said and the more she spoke the bigger chance she had to screw things up.

"The vet said Bass' car space is fine."

Maura chuckled. "Carapace. It's his upper shell."

""Well it's okay. He said you shouldn't worry about stuff like that. It's built to last."

Maura simply shrugged. "Dinner looks great. Did you make the Rizzotto?"

"No, I was pretty sure you wanted to enjoy your pasta tonight."

Maura chuckled again. "You're not a bad cook Jane. You're much too hard on yourself."

"Still I wanted tonight to be perfect and me cooking would put a serious question mark on things. I got it from your favorite restaurant."

"Did you get the wine?"

Did she? The damn bottle was almost seven hundred bucks. "Yes. That Chataux Margaux stuff you like."

Maura's eyes widened. "Jane you didn't. That a very expensive bottle of wine."

Jane wanted to laugh. Now you tell me, she thought. "It's okay. I figured I wanted to go all out." Plus there was no returns.

"Shall we eat then?" Maura asked, staring at her.

"Let's. Have a seat. I'll bring it out."

"I'm getting the full service treatment tonight aren't I?"

Jane simply nodded. No need to skimp now. "Of course you are. Tonight is Maura's night."

"Where's you mother?" Maura suddenly asked.

"She's with her friend Gertrude. They went to a weekend Bingo retreat downstate, which is code for Atlantic City."

"Sounds like fun."

"She likes it." Jane said with confidence. "Besides we don't want her hanging around all night asking a thousand questions do we?"

"I suppose not."

Maura sat down while Jane pulled the food out of the warmer and prepared dinner. Maura was halfway through a glass of wine when Jane finally sat down to eat.

"Thank you for this Jane it's exactly what we needed."

Jane decided to keep pressing forward. "I'm just sorry I let us get to this point."

"It wasn't just you. I was being unreasonable." Maura admitted. "I want today to be the first day of a new beginning. What happened is in the past and I forgive you. From the depths of my heart I forgive you."

"So we're good?" Jane asked. "Because I have no problems with groveling."

Maura laughed, it was music to Jane's ears. "We're good."

"Great because I think I may have to sleep over. I feel one of my nightmares coming on."

Maura's eyebrow arched with interest. "Really, because the spare bedroom isn't prepared. We're going to have to double and I don't have extra PJ's, you're not my size."

Jane shrugged. "I'll make do. It's not like it's the first time I forgot my PJ's right?"

"Certainly not. We'll make do."

The End.


End file.
